Town News Briefing

A Hartford man remained hospitalized in critical condition Monday after the bicycle he was riding collided with a truck on Walnut Street Sunday morning.

FOR THE RECORD - Correction published October 26, 2006.A free public seminar scheduled today to discuss water quality and the Clean Water Project will begin at 6 p.m. at the Unitarian Society of Hartford Meeting House, 50 Bloomfield Ave., Hartford. A news brief Oct. 10 on Page B2 incorrectly reported that the seminar would be at 7:30 p.m.

Police said Johnny Cruz, 46, was lying in the street when they arrived at the scene about 8 a.m. Cruz had been riding on the sidewalk in the 200 block of Walnut Street when he turned into the street, directly into the path of a Salvation Army delivery truck, police said.

He was taken to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, where police Monday said he was in critical condition. Police did not release the name of the truck driver, who was not injured.

The accident is under investigation by the accident reconstruction team of the Hartford Police Department.

HARTFORD

Police Investigating

Theft Of Purse

A Hartford woman was robbed of her purse at gunpoint Monday as she was walking across a street in the West End, police said.

Police said Shyela Martin, 22, was crossing the intersection of Evergreen Street and Warrenton Avenue shortly before noon when two men got out of a gold-colored vehicle and accosted her, police said. One man was carrying a handgun and the other a can of Mace, she told police.

They demanded her purse, which she dropped to the ground. The men grabbed the purse, got back in their car and drove away, police said.

Detectives of the major crimes division of the Hartford Police Department are investigating.

WINDSOR

Police Explorers

Plan Open House

WINDSOR -- The Windsor Police Explorers will have an open house Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the public safety complex, 340 Bloomfield Ave. Anyone between the ages of 11 and 20 with an interest in community service, law enforcement or making new friends is invited to attend.

For information, visit www.windsorpoliceexplorers. org.

WEST HARTFORD

Board To Discuss

Racial Imbalance

WEST HARTFORD -- The board of education will hold a special meeting Wednesday at 5 p.m., to discuss racial imbalance issues at two town elementary schools.

The meeting, which will be held in town hall's legislative chamber, room 314, will update town residents and discuss the ``unique school status'' of the Florence E. Smith School of Math, Science and Technology and Charter Oak Academy -- both magnet schools.

The state gave town school officials 60 days, from the start of the 2006-07 school year, to file a plan of action to address racial imbalance at the two schools. The board looked at the issue last week in a closed-door, executive session. Some town parents have also expressed concern at the lack of public discussion on the issue. Board members have said that they will address those concerns starting with Wednesday's meeting.

BLOOMFIELD

Seminar Oct. 26

On Water Quality

BLOOMFIELD -- A free public seminar is scheduled Oct. 26 to discuss next month's municipal bond referendum on a clean water project. The program will include a presentation on how everyday actions can affect water quality.

The seminar is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Meeting House, 50 Bloomfield Ave., Hartford.

Guest speakers will include Michael Dietz of the University of Connecticut, Eric Hammerling of the Farmington River Watershed Association and Robert Weimar of the Metropolitan District Commission.

A community discussion will follow the presentations. For information, call Beth Byron at 860-236-5442.

WINDSOR

Leaf Pickups

Begin This Month

WINDSOR -- The town's leaf collection program will begin Oct. 23 and will run through Dec. 15. Leaf pickups will be on the same days as regular trash pickups by Windsor Sanitation. Residents are not required to be customers of Windsor Sanitation to have their leaves picked up.

Leaves must be placed at the curb in 30- to 40-gallon paper leaf bags. Plastic bags will not be picked up. Residents can also bring their own clean loads of leaves to the landfill and dump them free of charge during the designated period. The landfill at 500 Huckleberry Road is open Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For information, call 860-285-1833.

WETHERSFIELD

Police Seek Man

In Pharmacy Robbery

WETHERSFIELD -- Police are looking for a man in his 50s who held up a pharmacy at Stop & Shop Monday afternoon.

The robber wasn't looking for money, police said. Instead, he passed the pharmacist a note, demanding drugs and implying that he was armed, according to police.

He was given a small amount of a controlled substance and then fled on foot, police said.

He is described as white, about 5 feet 7 and about 200 pounds. He had a white and gray beard and wore a green coat. He carried a duffel bag and walked with a cane.

Police tracking dogs from the West Hartford Police Department helped local officials with the search but were unable to find the robber, police said.

The case is still under investigation. Wethersfield police ask that anyone with information call 860-721-2900.